Sunlight's Lantern
by skydog91
Summary: Michael Sturling, a police officer who is dealing with a runaway serial killer is now having to deal with the disappearance of his wife and kids during the zombie apocalypse. Will he find them, or are they walker bait?
1. Chapter 1

Sunlight's Lantern

Chapter 1

The stagnant glowing ball within the skyline's lantern reflected on the water as the mosquitoes graciously awaited feeding time. A few mosquitoes gracefully flew into the nearby village. The townhouses, painted blues and grays, contained the sound of children hollering and giggling.  
Ebony curtains hung from the windows, each symbolizing the desperation of the town folks. Around the corner, a peculiar home stood with a display of fashionable ornaments and greenery. Parked near the sidewalk was a police vehicle, a man remained seated in the car jotting down notes from the previous arrest. He raised his automobile walkie talkie up to his mouth and the warning was out.

"This is Officer Sturling, I'm outside a residency about a mile from the Greenhouse Grocery." The officer paused to embrace the houses features and continued, "The house's oceanic blues make it look peaceful and calming, but inside there's got to be something going on. Please send some backup. I'm going in."

The officer approached the front steps of the sixteenth century house. A wind chime dangled from the wooden ceiling playing a musical score behind the officer's left ear. From the corner of his right eye he could see several mice skittering away hoping to escape any death traps. He raised his fist and began banging on the front door.

An alarm blared in his ears; Michael Sturling rose from his bed. He must have been dreaming. The smell of freshly made pancakes embraced his nose as he prepared to descend down the stairs for his wife's gourmet breakfast. Michael entered the kitchen expecting to see his wife and kids, but no one remained and the smell was no longer enticing his nostrils. No food or dishes were displayed in a buffet fashion. Michael began to question how long he'd been asleep. He searched the cabinets and fridge, they were empty as well. The sound of rain bounced off the house's roof as Michael went to the living room and turned the television on to the local news. The reporter started the story.


	2. Chapter 2

Sunlight's Lantern

Chapter 2

The metallic print scrolled across the bottom of the screen. The reporter stood in front of the National Wildlife Park of Grottes, intimidated by the story she was reporting. The backdrop of the reporter changed to a wide angle view of inside the forest where multiple bodies laid, and the sight of gravediggers digging their final resting places soon replaced it. The reporter's words ringed in Michael's ears:

_"The government has issued a state of emergency for the entire United States. There has been a deadly virus that's spreading at an alarming rate across our beautiful country, leaving trails of bloodshed and sorrow. They are asking all local or national scientist and chemist to work on a cure for this disease. The disease is caused from a bite or scratch wound, which turns you into a monstrous being and continues when you bite your next victim. They are comparing the disease to that of the mythological zombies which we've seen in our favorite horror movies, but the government says not to fear because a cure should be right around the corner!"_

Michael sat with a bleak stare across his face, as the reporter continued to believe that the apocalypse wasn't grasping the world like a snow globe, shaking the innocents inside. The small carnage that Michael saw on the national news was enough for him to believe that his wife and kids never came back home the night before. He lifted himself from his couch and headed towards the corded telephone that hung from the right corner of the wall. He dialed his wife's mobile device and awaited an answer. _Ring! Ring! Ring! _ The voicemail soon came on and his wife's modest and mesmerizing voice spoke to him as she was standing inches away. "Hi you've reached Tracy Sturling; I cannot come to phone at the moment. If it's an emergency please try again!" Michael grasped the phone, scarcely holding back his emotions. Michael placed the phone back into its home, and headed towards the garage to check if his wife's vehicle was still there.

The one door garage was full of outdoor family activity equipment, old family photo albums, hardware tools, gardening tools and other miscellaneous objects, but was missing one thing; his wife's vehicle. He scanned the nearby hardware tools trying to catch a glimpse of anything useful in case he had to fight off any diseased fiends. He picked up his Estwing hammer in which we bought at the local hardware store. Just as Michael was about to reenter his home, the sound of banging could be heard on the door which lead to the backyard. He approached the door, cautious of his surroundings. Michael gripped the knob and began to slowly turn it. The banging stopped.

Michael gave the door a heavy push and the bright light struck his face. The sound of hissing and groaning could be heard as Michael struggled to regain his vision. As his surroundings began to become less blurred, he realized he was standing in backyard of beasts. His family's doghouse, which remained vacant, was being searched immensely by the brutes. Dripping blood trailed behind the infected, they sensed Michael's presence. Michael tightened his grip on his hammer, and quickly made his way towards the gate leading towards the driveway. The walkers picked up Michael's movement, scurrying after Michael as if he was a forlorn mouse on the loose from a pack of household cats. Michael, about a foot from the maple designed gate, realized the infected were less than reaching distance from him. He swung his hammer, the claw gashed into a nearby head of the infected. He knew that he had no time to unlock the gate so began to ascend over the top of the gate, he was successful.

In the driveway sat a 1965 violet Impala with a skull and flames painted on the hood of the car. The car belonged to Michael's grandfather and was gifted to Michael shortly after his passing. The neighboring houses remained untouched and immaculate as if Michael was living inside his own dream world. He glanced around the dashboard and cup holders for his keys in which he'd leave hidden in his car every day before work. A stray cat began its descend from a tree, evading the many infected that were chasing it. After two hours of sitting inside his humid car, Michael found his keys lying moved away from where he'd had previously left them. The automobile started with no misconceptions.

As darkness approached, Michael pulled his car into a neighboring park. The park was once used for many events and parties, but tonight it was a slaughterhouse as hundreds of hopeless corpse laid on the lawn. The moonlight reflected off the faces of the unfortunate as several ravens swooped down for their delectable snack. A few infected began to turn towards Michael's headlights as Michael drove into a parking area. Michael sat for a few minutes to get away from the havoc. He shut his car off, sitting in the charcoal night embracing the comfort of knowing his wife and children could very well still be out there. He closed his eyelids.


End file.
